Ice creeper



July 20,1926.

' A. PLOUFFE ICE CREEPER Filed Feb. 18, 1925 r O m w m n a 3 Patented July 20,1926.

UNIT'EDLSTATES ADELARD rtourrn, or wooit'socxn'r, nnonn ISLAND.

ICE GREEPER.

Application filed February This invention relates to an improved ice creeper and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character which will not only effectually prevent slipping 5 but will also shield and protect the toe of the shoe.

' The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide a device embodying a spring or clip to engage overthe toe of the shoe for connecting the device at its forward end with the shoe, and wherein said spring or clip will be of sufficient width to form a shield for the toe, so that scufiing of the toe of the shoe will be prevented. I And the invention seeks, as a still further object to provide a device which may be struck from sheet metal and may, therefore, be readily produced.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. V I

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation showing my improved device applied to a conventional shoe.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the device.

In carrying'the invention into effect, I employ a fiat, substantially triangularshaped body plate 10 which is preferably struck from suitable resilient sheet metal and formed on the plate at its larger end are upturned rearwardly divergent side flanges 11 while from the forward end edge of the plate extends an upturned rearwardly overhanging toe spring or clip 12 gradually widened toward its free end. The spring 12 is disposed medially of the body plate and, as shown, is of a width to occupy the major portion of the width of. the body plate at its forward end. Struck from the body plate at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line thereof is a pair of downturned calks or gripping lugs 13 which extend substantially parallel with the rearwardly convergent side edges ofthe body plate so that said lugs thus also occupy arearwardly convergent relation, and, as will be observed, the lugs terminate at their forward ends slightly forward of the plane of the rear ends of the side flanges 11-. At its rear end, the body plate is bent down to form a single transversely extendlng calk or ripping lug 14, and struck downwardly from the plate, immediately 111 ad Vance of said lug, is a forwardly directed 18, 1925. Serial No. 10,065.

medial spring tongue 15 extending in substantially parallel relation to the plate therebeneath. Gripped between said tongue and the body plate is an attaching strap 16, preferably equipped with a buckle 17.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown the device applied to a conventional shoe ,18. To apply the creeper, plate 10 is positioned against the shoe sole, when the device isshifted rearwardly to engage the spring 12 over the toe of the shoe. The toe spring will thus serve to firmly clamp the forward end of the body plate against the shoe sole while the flanges 11.

will be caused to Wedge against the side edges of the sole for tightly holding the device against transverse movement. In this connection, it should be observed that the flanges 11 are inclined to conform to the curvature or inclination of the side edges of the sole of the shoe so that said flanges will wedge flat against said edges and, throughout their length, yieldably grip the edges of the shoe sole to effectually prevent slipping of the device on the shoe. The strap16 is then passed over the instep and secured for clamping the rear portion of the body plate against the sole of the'shoe as well as securing the device against forward displacement. Thus, the device may the body be easily and quickly applied and will be securely held in place. As will be observed, the lugs 13 are so located as to be disposed substantially beneath the ball of the shoe while the lug 14 is disposed rearwardly beneaththe forward portion of the arch, so that said lug will effectually cooperate to prevent slipping.- Furthermore, since the rear end of the body plate extends in spaced relation to the arch of the shoe, the rear end of the plate will flex somewhat when the lug 14 strikes an obstruction and thereby avoid otherwise uncomfortableness to the foot.

Having thus described the invention, what I- claim is I v An ice creeper comprising a one-piece body plate formed of resilient sheet metal and having a flat upperface for engagement with the under face of a shoe sole, said plate being of a length to extend from the toe of the shoe with its rear end portion extending beneath and in spaced relation to the instep portion of the shoe sole and terminating at its rear end in a depending cleat, a tongue extending upwardly from the frontend of said plate andrearwardly for overlapping engagement with the toe portion of a shoe, flanges extending upward- 5 1y from the sides of said late for engaging opposite side edges of a s we sole, cleats extending downwardly from said plate intermediate its length, and a shoe encircling strap engaged with said plate adjacent its rear end. 10

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture.

ADELARD PLOUFFE. [n s] 

